Attica's much-loved spud bites dust

Attica's 'potato cooked in the earth in which it was grown'. Photo: Eddie Jim

One of Attica's most famous dishes - potato cooked in the earth in which it was grown - will be removed from the menu by year's end, says chef Ben Shewry.

It's one of a couple of changes in the wind for Attica, including the opening of a new street-facing development kitchen, and the dropping of the five-course, midweek tasting menu in favour of the eight-course, to happen by early 2014.

The much-loved spud, a fixture since 2009, had become ''a bit of a monkey on my back'', Shewry said.

In other news, Shewry took visiting top US chef Daniel Patterson to some of his favourite haunts last week. They tried jumbo chunky beef pies at Rolling Pin Pies and Cakes at Ocean Grove and also ate at Lau's Family Kitchen in St Kilda.